Article Sidebar
Article Details
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
JAE supports free online communication and exchange of knowledge as the most effective way of ensuring that the fruits of research and development practice are made widely available. It is therefore committed to open access, which, for authors, enables the widest possible dissemination of their findings and, for readers, increases their ability to discover pertinent information. The Journal adopts and uses the CC BY-NC-ND license. Under this license users are permitted to: Copy and distribute the article (non-commercially); you can’t change or alter the article in anyway; Users are not allowed to data mine the article.
Main Article Content
Involvement of Farm Households in Banana and Plantain Production in Aguata Agricultural Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Abstract
The study examined backyard banana and plantain production among households in Aguata Agricultural Zone. Sixty randomly selected heads of households were used for the study. Data were generated using structured interview schedule and analysed by means of descriptive statistics Majority (63.3%) of the respondents had 1-50 stands of banana and plantain on their farm under mixed cropping pattern (68.3%). About 53.4% of the households were engaged in banana and plantain production mainly for consumption and they sourced planting materials from personal farms, All members of the household were involved in the production process, though the adult female dominated the execution of most farming tasks. The major agronomic practices employed by the households in banana and plantain production were de-suckering/pruning (96.7%), de-budding (91.7%), application of organic/inorganic manure (90.0%), de-leafing/de-trashing (76.7%), mulching (65.0%) and weeding (61.7%). Major factors militating against backyard banana and plantain production were susceptibility to wind, storm and drought (M= 2.25), poor yield (M=2.08), cluster nature of growth (M=1.91), high incidence of pest and diseases (M=1.88), long maturation period, high temperature/low rainfall (M=1.66) and unstable market price (M=1.65).Therefore extension agents from public and non- governmental organisations should The study thus, recommended that extension agents from public and non- governmental organisations should build knowledge and skills of farm households on critical agronomic practices, pest and disease management necessary to boost production and increase return to households. This can be achieved through workshop; radio programmes, and community awareness campaign. Research institutions should intensify efforts towards generation of drought and disease resistance and high yielding varieties for enhanced production.
Key Words : Plantain, banana, household, agronomic.
